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Liverpool are interested in signing Napoli and Italy superstar Lorenzo Insigne this summer, according to journalist Fabio Santini.

The Lowdown: Insigne shines for club and country

The 30-year-old has been one of Napoli’s star men over a number of years, having scored 109 goals in 397 appearances for the Serie A side.

Insigne has taken his club form with him to the international stage this summer, too, starring for Italy at Euro 2020 and scoring a sensational goal in their quarter-final win over Belgium.

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The Latest: Liverpool reportedly keen on move

Speaking to Area Napoli [via Sport Witness], Santini claimed that Liverpool are keen on signing the winger this summer, rivalling Atletico Madrid for his signature:

“To make the situation even more complicated is the intense competition for the player. I know for sure that there is a strong interest from Liverpool and Atletico Madrid on Lorenzo Insigne.”

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The Verdict: Hard to see move happening

While there is no doubting Insigne’s quality as a player, there seems to be little sense in the Reds bringing in the £43.2million-rated Italian.

At 30, it would be hard to justify paying a big fee for his services, with Jurgen Klopp more likely to bring in a younger rival to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

The idea of Liverpool signing Insigne goes completely against Michael Edwards’ hugely successful approach in the transfer market, with players in their early-to-mid 20s signed and developed at the club, as was the case with Salah and Mane.

In other news, Liverpool are preparing talks with one Reds player – find out who it is here.

Everton have already made two signings in just four days of the transfer window being open, in a bid to strengthen the struggling side, Rafa Benitez could be poised to make his third signing very soon.

What’s the word?

Italian football news outlet, Club Doria, has reported that Everton are amongst a number of clubs who are interested in signing Sampdoria defender, Omar Colley.

Newcastle United, Leeds United and Watford have all been named alongside Everton in the report that suggests the Premier League clubs are interested in signing the £4.5m-rated beast.

Colley who has been hailed “amongst the best defenders” by Sampdoria manager Roberto D’Aversa, has reportedly changed his agent, and is ready for a new adventure, setting his sights on the Premier League, where if the rumours are true, he is in high demand for signing with one of many.

The Everton manager has already secured the signing of two defenders, Nathan Patterson and Vitaliy Mykolenko, claiming in his pre-match press conference last week that the club wants “two or three” signings, with the Gambia international potentially the third target.

Rafa must swoop

With clubs in a similar position in the bottom half of the table speculated to be interested in the 29-year-old, Benitez must swoop as soon as he can to ensure he doesn’t lose out on the transfer target, amid further transfer rumours that Mason Holgate could be leaving on loan this month too.

Adding depth to the Toffees squad is essential for the Spanish tactician, as defensively they have been abysmal this season with the current side conceding the first goal in 14 of their 20 games in all competitions this season, including each of their last seven games.

Colley could surely add something to the side’s defensive play, with the defender having the second most pass interceptions and the third most tackles completed in his own half in the Serie A this season, according to One Versus One.

Everton will take on Hull City at the weekend in the FA Cup third round and Benitez will be under pressure to give Everton fans something outside of the struggles of the league they currently face, as speculation grows on the sacking of the Spanish manager.

In other news: Vecino swap deal could solve Rafa’s problems at Everton

Daizen Maeda, Matt O’Riley and Josip Juranovic were the three standout players as Celtic put seven past St Johnstone. 

The Hoops ran riot at Parkhead as Ange Postecoglou’s side seized an opportunity to stretch their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership standings to nine points ahead of Rangers’ meeting with St. Mirren.

There was also a welcome boost to the goal difference column as the rampant Bhoys put seven past their visitors to improve their margin to plus 59, a huge 33 goals ahead of their Old Firm rivals.

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Reo Hatate opened the scoring early on before Georgios Giakoumakis doubled the lead shortly after. Celtic’s lead was 3-0 ahead of half-time when Maeda netted to put Postecoglou’s men in command. After the break came a Juranovic penalty followed by an O’Riley brace as Liel Abada completed the seven-goal rout on 78 minutes.

According to Sofascore, there were three Hoops who stood out on the day, and we’ve taken a deeper look through their numbers to get the lowdown on the star men.

Maeda 8/10

Even aside from the goal and assist, this was the 26-year-old’s best display in a Celtic shirt to date as Maeda added two key passes, 41 touches, one interception and one tackle to a sublime all-round performance.

The Japanese ace’s endeavour, energy and quality when in possession all contributed towards what was a statement victory from the table-toppers.

Juranovic 8.3/10

Juranovic was at his influential best from right-back as the Croatian provided one assist, 92/102 (90%) accurate passes and 119 touches in a stellar display from the 26-year-old.

Overall, the versatile defender completed two key passes and was accurate with 2/3 (66%) of crosses and 4/7 (57%) long balls on what was a perfect afternoon for the Celtic Park faithful.

O’Riley 9/10

The standout performer for the Hoops, despite only coming on as a second-half substitute.

O’Riley enjoyed the freedom of Paraside as the Danish youth international scored twice to seal a stunning 45-minute cameo that included a pass accuracy of 31/35 (89%), 46 touches, one key pass and one interception.

It could’ve been even better for the 21-year-old as O’Riley squandered a big chance to complete a first hat-trick for the club.

In other news, Ange Postecoglou hails club chief. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United are reportedly now in a transfer battle with two other clubs in the Premier League to sign Aguibou Camara.

The Lowdown: Catching the eye

Camara is certainly a player that is catching the eye this season following his move from Lille to Olympiacos.

The central midfield player has scored five goals and made a further two assists in 17 games in total over all competitions so far (Football Transfers).

Nonetheless, at just 20 years of age, Camara is a player to watch out for in the future.

The Latest: Premier League battle

As per The Sun, the St. James’ Park faithful are now locked in a battle with both Liverpool and Leicester City for Camara, who is currently rated at £20m.

They are reportedly ‘keeping tabs’ on the Guinea international ahead of a potential move, and have made contact with his agent.

However, other intermediaries are trying to get in on the deal, and describe him as ‘one of the most exciting talents in Europe right now’.

AS Monaco, Bologna, Valencia and Villarreal are also eyeing Camara, who looks set to be in high demand as the January transfer window opens.

The Verdict: Perfect for the Prem

Given Kante’s success in the top flight, in where he won back-to-back league titles with Leicester City and Chelsea, Camara is a player that should also thrive in the division.

His energy in the midfield is perfect for its fast pace, and he has already shown in the UEFA Europa League this campaign that he can play at a high level.

Camara has won no fewer than 8.5 of his duels per game in the group stages so far, and has also averaged 3.8 tackles, 2.3 successful dribbles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.3 shots per match (SofaScore), suggesting that he has all of the attributes to succeed.

Given the competition for his signature, it would be a real coup if the North East club were to sign him, as he could well turn out to be a key player in their fight against relegation.

In other news, find out which ‘really crazy’ beast NUFC have joined the race to sign here!

Newcastle United are set to beat Celtic to the capture of Galway United youngster Alex Murphy. 

The lowdown: Celtic eyeing up young talent

Celtic signed Johnny Kenny from Sligo Rovers in January for a nominal fee, clearly looking to build up from the bottom, strengthening the squad of the future.

The Hoops were then linked with 17-year-old defender Murphy in February amidst interest from West Brom and Serie A outfit Torino.

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At that time, the seriousness of the interest from the Premier League club was apparent as an initial report from the Irish Examiner claimed a €100,000 (£83,000) offer had already been made.

Nowm it appears as though Celtic were ultimately unable to land their target, as another English side have swooped in…

The latest: Money talks

According to a report from RTE, newly mega-rich Newcastle have won the race to sign the talented teenager.

It’s claimed that Murphy will move to St James’ Park in the summer after turning 18 on June 25.

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Celtic are once again mentioned as being amongst the interest parties to miss out on the twice-capped Republic of Ireland Under 16 starlet as well as Brighton & Hove Albion.

The verdict: Big blow

After signing a first professional contract with Galway in August 2021, manager John Caulfield described the youngster’s career trajectory as ‘very good’ amidst growing speculation around his future.

Despite his tender years, the teenager has made seven senior appearances in the Irish first division already – completing 90 minutes on five occasions.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether Murphy can make the grade in the English top-flight, the Celtic hierarchy will no doubt be disappointed to miss out on a highly-rated youngster, although this type of attempted capture does show where the Hoops’ upcoming transfer targets may lie.

In other news, pundit pinpoints key attribute that has been crucial for Celtic. Find out more here.

West Ham have been linked with a shock move for Alexandre Lacazette this week…

What’s the word?

According to French publication Jeunes Footeux, the 30-year-old striker isn’t going to extend his contract with Arsenal, meaning he will become a free agent in the summer.

As a result, he could even be sold during the January transfer window, with the north London outfit keen to see some return on their investment.

It’s thought that the Irons are closely monitoring his situation, along with Premier League rivals Everton, so the Frenchman wouldn’t be short of suitors in England.

He is currently valued at £19.8m by Transfermarkt and is reportedly on wages in the region of £182k-per-week at the Emirates Stadium.

Best since Soucek?

From a pure name standpoint alone, Lacazette would be one of the Hammers’ biggest signings of recent times, though as we’ve seen with the likes of Felipe Anderson and Sebastien Haller, that counts for very little.

However, with the Gunners star out of contract at the end of the season, this move represents a very low-risk one as he won’t cost GSB a penny in terms of transfer fees.

Furthermore, his qualities in the Premier League are already proven – as recently as Monday, he bagged a crucial equaliser to extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

As per Transfermarkt, the 16-cap international has scored 68 times in 175 appearances for the north London giants, of which 51 goals have come from 131 top-flight appearances, whilst he has also provided 29 assists.

Lacazette has averaged a goal or assist every 116 minutes across the course of his Arsenal career, ever since joining in a £52.7m move from Lyon in summer 2017.

That’s a very respectable record for someone that hasn’t started week-in, week-out, thanks to his frontline partner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

He has also been dubbed a “goal machine” by former teammate Sokratis, whilst he has previously been likened to former Hammers man Ian Wright by the late Gerard Houllier.

“He scores more than 25 goals every season. One thing he will bring to Arsenal is goals,” the ex-Liverpool and Lyon boss told talkSPORT. “He is a bit like Ian Wright, really. You don’t seem to see him and then suddenly he moves.”

This calibre of signing could really elevate the east London outfit onto a new level, particularly after qualifying for the Europa League last term.

The arrival of Lacazette could be their best signing since Tomas Soucek, the unknown Czech beast who’s already become a fan-favourite and one that cost merely €21m (£18m).

David Moyes’ new head of recruitment Rob Newman must push ahead with plans to secure the Premier League veteran. On the above evidence, it would be a very smart and astute signing to make.

AND in other news, Forget Rice: £50k-p/w West Ham beast who had 121 touches was Moyes’ unsung hero at Everton…

With just four points on the board from seven Premier League games so far this season and without their first win of the campaign, Southampton and their fans have not had much to shout about in recent weeks.

Their previous league outing saw Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side fall to a 3-1 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge that also saw club captain James Ward-Prowse pick up a red card resulting in a three-game ban that will commence after the current international break.

What’s the latest?

Despite their poor start to the season, one shining light that the club can take pleasure in is the fact that midfielder Will Smallbone made his return to the pitch during Saints B’s 4-1 defeat away at Charlton Athletic in the EFL Trophy. He returns after picking up a serious ACL injury away at Leicester City back in January.

Smallbone, who is a product of Southampton’s youth academy, eventually made his senior debut for the club in January 2020 in a 2-0 victory over Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup after working his way through their youth teams.

Since then, the midfielder, who is currently valued at £1.8m according to Transfermarkt, has made 13 appearances for Hasenhuttl’s side across all competitions in which he has managed to score one goal and provide two assists along the way.

Replacement for Ward-Prowse?

Moving forward, with Southampton set to take on Leeds United at St. Mary’s after the international break, we feel that if Smallbone, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £17.3k-per-week according to Spotrac, is fit enough, he could definitely be the right man to come in and play while Ward-Prowse is serving his ban.

Following on from the Leeds game, Southampton then takes on fellow league strugglers Burnley before a Carabao Cup clash once again at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea, after which Ward-Prowse will be back with the team.

However, given how long Smallbone was out of action for, we feel that Hasenhuttl will have to be careful with just how many minutes the midfielder plays. The last thing he wants to do is potentially cause any further damage to his injury and keep him out on the sidelines for another period of time.

Either way, with Leeds and Burnley both currently next to Southampton in the league table, we feel that the Saints will undoubtedly be targeting these fixtures as their possible first wins of the season. Having a player like Smallbone cover while Ward-Prowse sits out will definitely aid their cause.

In other news: Hasenhuttl must ruthlessly axe £75k-p/w Southampton dud, he made just 9 passes v CFC – opinion

Steve Howey reckons Manchester City will be unstoppable if they manage to get their hands on top transfer target Harry Kane.

City chief Pep Guardiola has publicly confirmed his interest in the England captain, who picked up the Premier League’s Golden Boot and Playmaker awards last season.

It comes after Kane reiterated his desire to leave boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur having grown frustrated at the lack of silverware being won by the north London club.

Speculation that Kane could be on the move to the Etihad Stadium was ramped up even further after the striker was omitted from Spurs’ matchday squad for their opening weekend win over City.

The reigning Premier League champions have already broken the British transfer record by completing the £100million signing of Aston Villa talisman Jack Grealish during the transfer window.

Howey believes City will get their hands on back-to-back titles, despite astute business elsewhere, if they can persuade Spurs to sell star man Kane.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Howey said: “If they can get someone like Kane, who is an out-and-out goalscorer, it’s game over. I don’t care about Chelsea getting Romelu Lukaku, it’s game over.”

Newcastle United’s owners would only be emboldened by the scenario of relegation, according to The Athletic’s Chris Waugh. 

The lowdown

With nearly a third of the season gone, Newcastle find themselves rooted to the bottom of the Premier League. They have failed to win any of their first 13 matches, and should they lose their next two games against the two teams directly above them in Norwich City and Burnley, they could find themselves starting to get cut adrift.

Newcastle’s takeover made them one of the richest clubs in world football, but there is a very real risk that they’ll be operating in the Championship next season.

The latest

In a Q&A for The Athletic on Monday, one Newcastle fan feared that the club would ‘not satisfy the Saudi objective’ if they drop out of the Premier League, and worried that the owners may not ‘stick around’ in the event of demotion.

However, Waugh put the supporter’s fears to rest by replying: “PIF, nor any elements of the consortium, had relegation as being part of their plan. They want to survive this season and that remains the goal.

“However, in the event of demotion, I see little chance of PIF walking away. In fact, one well-placed source told me recently they believe that would only ’embolden’ PIF to bring Newcastle back to the Premier League and to eventually build the club into one who can compete for trophies.

“Remember, this is a long-term investment for PIF. They haven’t bought the club just for a season or two. They want to increase Newcastle’s value from £305 million to several billion if possible, and that will take time. Relegation will see the value of the club dwindle in the short term, but PIF isn’t going to cut its losses and walk away at that stage. I am pretty confident of that.”

The verdict

In January, Newcastle will surely try to assemble a squad which is too strong to go down. A report from The Telegraph suggested that the owners had made £50m available for that purpose.

However, players may be hesitant to commit long-term given the risk of dropping to the second tier, and that could be why loan moves are an important part of their strategy.

Nevertheless, the bottom line here is that, given the extent of the Magpies’ wealth, relegation might only delay their charge by a couple of years.

In other news, Waugh has also revealed Eddie Howe’s transfer wishes for January

Manchester United are reportedly willing to listen to offers for Anthony Martial this summer following a disappointing 2020/21 campaign for the Frenchman.

What’s the story?

According to ESPN, the Red Devils’ hierarchy would allow the 25-year-old to depart Old Trafford over the coming months if they receive an acceptable offer to sign him.

The report claims that the Glazer family have given manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a £100m transfer fund for the current window, but that figure will be topped up by any money raised by the departures of players deemed not to have a future with the club.

Solskjaer will be fuming

Martial has been an enigmatic figure ever since he arrived on English shores for a huge fee potentially rising to £58m back in 2015. His ability and potential has rarely been in doubt, but he’s failed to produce his best form on a consistent basis throughout his six-year stay at United.

It seemed as though the France international had turned a corner in 2019/20, when Martial managed his most productive campaign to date, bagging 23 goals and providing 12 assists in 48 appearances.

However, in true Martial style, he failed to build upon that impressive showing last season, contributing to just 10 Premier League goals before an injury ended his campaign prematurely in March.

With the arrival of Jadon Sancho finally confirmed, the former Monaco ace may see his game-time reduced even further in 2021/22, but it would still arguably be a mistake to cut the 25-year-old loose.

On his day, Martial is a world-class performer capable of bypassing any defender with his magnificent dribbling skills and slotting the ball past any goalkeeping due to his deadly finishing ability.

It’s easy to forget that he’s just 25 and only approaching his peak years due to how long he has been playing at the highest level. Not many players are capable of leading the line week in, week out for a club the size of United in their early or mid-20s – he still has 78 goals for the Red Devils, which is not a meagre tally.

The £40.5m-rated gem still has much to learn and plenty of room to improve further, but the arrival of Sancho alongside the likes of Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood may allow him scope to do so away from the limelight.

Even if Martial can’t force himself into Solskjaer’s starting XI next term, the Norwegian would surely be fuming to see him depart Old Trafford.

To win the biggest trophies in football in the modern era, a squad brimming with top talent is required, and Martial’s departure would leave United short on strength in centre-forward depth. He deserves at least another year to showcase his true ability, but only time will tell whether he gets it.

In other news… Get it done: Woodward must complete Man Utd swoop for “special” £54m-rated gem